PRESLIA (PRAHA) 40: 337-341, 1968

Fottea cylindrica gen. et sp. nov., a New Member of the Ulotrichacean Algae

Fottea cylindrica gen. et sp. nov., nory rod ulotrichalnych rias

Frantisek Hind a k

Algological Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Trebon

Dedicated to the 60th Anniversary of Birth of Professor B. Fott, DrSc.

Received June 3, 1968

Abstract - Fottea cylindrica HrNDAK, a new genus and species is described obtained from soil (snow detritus) of the Mala Studena dolina valley in the High Tatra (Czechoslovakia). This unicellular alga belongs to the group of the simplest members of the order Ulotrichales ( Ohloro­phyceae ).

In the system of green algae (Ghlorophyceae) the members of the order Ulotrichales may be characterized by the absence of contractile vacuoles, stigma and flagella in the vegetative state and by asexual reproduction through the dividing of cells into two parts. The mother wall is subjected to division and thus becomes either permanently or transiently a part of the cell wall of the daughter cells. 'rhe assumption that the order Ulotrichales also covers unicellular green algae with vegetative division of cells, though not forming filaments, may be assumed to be correct (VrncHEit 1933, HINDAK 1962a, 1962b, PRINTZ 1964, FoTT 1967 etc.).

Having the above in mind, the idea arises of the possibility of a develop­mental sequence in the order Ulotrichales, beginning with unicellular a]gae, and continuing with the typical filamentous unbranched algae and ending in the multicellular filamentous type with a specific sexual process. Two groups of genera in the simple ulotrichacean algae are not able to form filaments. This classification depends on the fact whether the subsequent division of the cells takes place in the same direction as the previous ones or whether it takes place transverse to the axis of the previous divisions. The members of the fir,3t group e.g. Elakatothrix WILLE, Koliella HIND., Sticho­coccuc; NAG. may be directly phylogenetically related to the unbranched filamentous algae (e.g. Gloeotila KO-Tz., Oklorhormidium FoTT, Ulothrix KuTz.) while the second group, represented e.g. by Ohlorosphar:,ra KLEES, Ghlorosarcina GERN. , Planophila GERN., Pha~omyxa SKUJA, Pleurococcus MENEGH. shows a . relation to some algae with a branched thallus (e .g. Proto­derma Kurz. , L ep tosira BoRzr, Pseudendocloni11,m Vrscn. , Ooleochaete BR:EB., etc.). The assumption that some of the branched and foliose algae may have developed from the unbranched ones (the morphologic relation between the genera Ulothrix KUTZ. - Schizorn,eris KUTZ. - Prasiola AG.) is also of interest.

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Vol. 40, No 3 (p. 225 - 336) editum ,30. 7. 1968

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The new genus Fottea1 ) be1ongs to the first group of the simplest. members of the order Ulotricha!es. Fottea HINDAK gen. nov.

Col on i a e Iiberae, gelatino­sae, formae variae

C e I I u I a e cylindricae, in coioniis mucosis irregulariter di­spositae, raro solitariae, nunquam in fi~amentis; chromatophorum singulum, parietaie; nucleus sin­gulus.

M u I t i p I i c a t i o: asexualis cellularum divisione transvera in partes duas; propagatio sexualis, zoospor.is et status persistens non observata.

T y p u s g e n e r i s: F ottea cylindrica sp. nov.

The genus Fottea can be cons­idered to be a genus which is closely related to Elalca~othrix,. Stichococcus and Gloeotila. Howe­ver, according to the prernnt status of the systematics of the above genera, as we1l as accord­ing to their original descriptions, the new genus Fottea cannot be included in either of them.

Formation of ge]atinous colon­ies in which the ce1l distribution is solitary and haphazard is one of the most significant features of the genus Fottea. The cells are cylindrical and do not form filaments. The reproduction of the cells by division with a transverse septum is of the rnme type as e.g. Stichococcus or Gloeotila, the only difference being that the cells soon separate after division. On the latter feature, the genus Fot­tea resembles the genus Elalcato­thrix p. p., in which, however,

1 ) It is my pleasure and honour to name this new genus after Prof. Dr. B01-n; sLAV

FoTT DrSc., the nostor of Czechoslovak algologists and my teacher, a sexagenerian this year.

the dividing septum, which is originally transverse, becomes oblique (which fact is due to the spindle form of the cells). Th~ ganus Fo~tea may be said to re­semble the genera Geminella and Radiofilum in the manner and course of the asexual re:rroduction.

Table 1 shows a review of the main features of this new genus and some related genera.

The table indicates that in the form of the colonies and the manner of cell distribution throughout the colony, Elakatothrix (especjally E. sutacuta Ko RS.) and partly also Phaccmyxa SKUJ A are the nearest genera to Fottea. Phacomyxa, however, contains more chloropJaEts and the rnbrnqt:ent division of cells does not take place in the rnrre axis (chkrcErhteranan algae). Fottea, Stichococcus rnnsu auct. p. p., Gloeotila and rart]y alrn G£minella are characteristic became of their cyljndric al cells. G( minella is, on the other hand, distinctly different frcm all the n:enticm:d gemra due to the rrernnce of pyrenoids. In contrast to Fottca, the genera Stfrhococcus and Gloeotila p. p. do not form mucilage, and generally form fi1 arrents, though Ehort and fragile. Certain species of Stichococcus do r_ct form filaments at all (S. chlorel­loides GRINTZ. et P:ET., S. atomus S1rnu). The genus Hormi'diopsis HEERING

belongs to the group of genera characterized by mucilage. H. crenulata HEERING forms uniseriate and sometimes biEerjate fi.1aments, in which the cells are in contact. Further, formation of apJanospores has been observed in this species. The second si:ecies H . ellipsm.deurn PRESCOTT (1944, 1951) is probably not a member of the genus Horm1"diopsi8, because the cells do not form the typical fi'aruents (the ceJis are sih:ated in contjnuous series in the mucilage and are not in contact) , a pyrenoid is also prernnt. It is my opinion that this species should belong either to the genus Geminella TuRP. or it is a quite different genus, cha.racterized by its transversally elliptic cells. The genus Koliella Hrnn. is characterized by its rnlitary cells, but they are fusiform and without mucilage. The members cf the genus M esotaenium NAG. (Oonjugatophyceae) are different from Fottca ju the first place due to their sexual reproduction, the form of the chloroplast, and the presence of the pyrenoid.

The following review of genera in form of a generic key points to the main differential features of the suborder Ulotrichineae.

Key to the genera of the suborder Ulotrichinrn, e

la Cells without pyrenoid

2a Colls in the colony, se ldom solitary 3a Cell s with mucilage

4a Cells fusiform : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elakatothrix W 1 L 1, E

4b Cells cylindrical: . . .. .. .. . .... .. .. .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . ... . . ... ..... . Fottea gen . nov . 3b Cells without mucilage

5a Cells fusiform: ..... . . .. .. . . . . . .. ... .. . . .. . . .. .... ... . .. ...... . Koliella HIND.AK

5b Cells spherical or ovoid to ellipsoidal: .. . . . .. . . . .... . ... .... . . Btichococcus N AG. p. p. 2b Filaments short or long

6a Filaments uniseriate ; aplan osporos unknown 7a Filaments very short, cells frequently solitary : zoospores unknown ; without mucilage

8a All cells cylindrical: .... . . .. ... . ...... . .... . ........ . ..... Btichococcus N i\.n. p . p. Sb Cells cylindrical with exception of t erminal ± rostra t e cells: . . .. . R aphidonema L AG ERH.

7b Filaments short or long; zoospores known or unknown; with or with out mucilage 9a Filaments without or with mucilage ; zoospores known ; cells cylindrical , without F e -rings

at the ends: . .. . .. . . .. . . . . .'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gloeotila K O-Tz.

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9b Filaments with mucilage; zoospores unkn()wn; cells with Fe-ring at the ends: ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Catena CHoD.

6b Filaments seriate or sometimes biseriate; aplanospores known: .. ..... . .............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : ...•.................................. Hormidiopsis HEERING p. p .

1 b Cells without pyrenoid lOa Filaments (or "pseudofilaments") without mucilage Ila Zoospores unknown; filaments with a few cells only placed in a row; aplanospores known:

. . . . .. . ............................ ......... Heterothrichopsis lYENG. et KANTH. 11 b Zoospores known 12a Z oospores biflagellate

13a Filaments not attached 14a "Filaments mostly long; aplanospores unknown: ... .......... Chlorhormidium FoTT 14b Filaments short, cells frequently solitary; aplanospores known: ............. ... .. .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gloeotilopsis I YENG et PHIL. 13b Filaments with a long hyaline thread-like stalk with a knob-like disc by which it is

attached to the substratum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H ormidiella I YENG. et KANTH. 12b Zoospores quadrifiagellate: .............. . .. . . Ulothrix KuTz. incl. Uronema LAGERH.

lOa Filaments (or "pseudofilaments") with mucilage l 5a Cell wall not composed of two halves 16a Cells transversally elliptic, in continuous series, often in groups of four, each group

inclosed by a sheath; filaments short: ..... .... . ................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hormidiopsis HEERING P· p. (H. ellipsoideum PRESCOTT)

16b Cells cylindrical to ellipsoidal, frequently in linear pairs, forming filaments of indefinite length: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Geminella TURP.

15b Cell wall composed of two halves: .......... . .. ............ . ............ ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiojilum ScHMIDLE incl. Interfilum CHOD. et Toi'.

'Genus with one species:

Fottea cylindrica HrnnAK sp. nov.

C o I o n i a e liberae, 2- 4 - 11 et ultracellulares, gelatinosae, formae ovalis usque irregularis.

C e 11 u I a e longe cy}jndricae, rectae vel raro paulo curvatae, apicibus late rotundatis, in tegumento mucoso hornogeneo crasso irregulariter dispo­sitae, taro solitariae, nunquam in filamentis. Chromatophorum singulum, parietale, alveiforme, fere totum cellulae pedpheriam occupans, sine pyre­noide. Nucleus singulus, sphaericus, in cellulis adultis centralis. In protoµIasto guttas olei.

Dimension e s: cellulae 21 - 32 µm longae, 8 - 9 µm latae; tegumentum _gelatinosum cellulae solitariae 8-12 µm crassum.

Mu l t. i p I i c at i o: cellularum divisione transversa in partes duas. H a b i t a t i o: in eda phono vallis Maia Studena dclina (circa 2100 m

supra mare, collectio ll. X. 1962) in montibus Tatrensibus, Slovacia. T y p u s : figura nostra 1. General charac:ters same as those of the genus. The 1·cl1s in the laboratory cultures (test-tube with the natural material

consisti11g of snow-water with detritus) appeared solitary, mostly in colonies of 4 - 11 - 16 and more, haphazardly distributed in the common, distinctly contoured mucilage without structure. The form of the colony varied with the number of the cells, being generally irregular in shape, sometimes oval and round.

The cells in the colony were always solitary and did not form short fila­ments and chains, and were not in contact. They were three to three-and-half times longer than broad, symmetrical, cylindrical, usually straight or slightly bent, with broad rounded ends . There was only one chloroplast which was green to dark-green, parietal , trough-like , relatively massive and without

340

a pyrenoid. It went as far as the ends of the cells and occupied almost the~ whole cell cavity. The margins were often very close and in some cells were in contact. One round nucleus could be observed in the centre of the cell. The plasma of the cells, mainly of old ones, contained fat granules of differ­ent sizes.

The asexual reproduction took place in the way of transverse division into two daughter cells, which soon separated and never joined to form filaments.

The young growing cells were generally 21 - 24 µm long, the developed cells before the division or in the course of the division 29-32 µm long. The width of the celJs varied only to a very slight degree and amounted to 8-9 µm. The gelatinous sheath was well contoured without structure and relatively broad, 8 - 12 µm in thickness , measured from the cell wall. Our efforts to obtain a unialgal culture of this species failed.

Gloeotila curta SKUJ A ( 1956) seems to be a morphologically related species, on account of the cylindrical type of cells and that of the chloroplast. G. curta forms not very long, mostly 20-cell filaments, which have either no or a very fine sheath of mucilage . G. curta differs from Fottea cylindrica by the fact that the former is able to form fil am en ts , the cells are smaller ( 4 - 13 X 2 - 2, 8 µm) and the sheath 1s mostly 1,8 !J.m broad. This species is closely related to Fottea.

Suhrn

V clanku bol opisany novy rod a novy druh ulotrichalnych rias Fottea cylindrica, pozorovany v kulturo podnych rias (snehovy detrit) z Malej Studenej doliny vo Vysokych Tatrach. Vsysteme zelenych rias patri tato jednobtmkova riasa do skupiny najjednoduchsich predstavitefov radu Ulotrichales ( 0 hlorophyceae ).

Lit era ture

FOTT B. (1960): Taxonomische Ubertra.gungen und Namensanderungen unter der Algen. Preslia 32 : 142 - 154.

- (1967): Sinice a :fasy. - Academia Pra.ha. HEERING W. (1914): Chlorophyceae III. - In PASCHER's Susswasserflora, Heft 6 : 250 p. HrnDAK F . (1962a): Systematische Revision der Gattungon Fusola SNOW und Elakatothrix

WILLE. - Proslia 34 : 277 - 292. (1962b): Beitrag zur Phylogenese und Systernatik der Ulotrichales. - Biol6gia, Bratislava, 17 (9) : 641 - 649. (1963): Systematik der Gattungen Koliella gen. nov . und Raphidonema LAGERH. - Nova. Hedwigia 6 : 95-125.

IYENGAR M. 0 . P. et KANTRAMMA S. (1940a): On Hormidiella, a new member of the Ulotri-chaceae. - J. Indian bot. Soc. 19 : 157 - 166.

- ( l 940b): A note on Ulotrichopsis viridis gen. et sp. nov. - J. Indian bot. Soc. 19 : 167 - 170~ - (1941): A note on Heterotrichopsis viridis gen. et sp. nov. - J. Indian bot. Soc. 20 : 105. IYENGAR M. 0. P. et PHILIPOSE M. T. (1956): Gloeotilopsis planctonica gen. et sp. nov., a new

member of the Ulotrichaceae. - J . Indian bot. Soc. 35: 365 - 370. KoRsIKOV 0. A. (1953): Pidklas Protokokovi (Protococcineae). - Vizn. prisnovod. vodorostej

Ukrainskoi RSR 5 : 439 p. PRESCOTT G. W . (1944): New species and varieties of Wisconsin algae. - Farlowia 1 : 347-385. - ( 1951): Algae of W est ern Great Lakes Area. - Michigan, 946 p. PRINTZ H. (1964): Die Chaetophoralen der Binnengewasser. - Hydrobiologia 24: 1 - 376. SKUJA H. ( 1956): Taxonomische und biologische Studien tiber das Phytoplankton schwedischer·

Binnengewasser. - Nova Acta R egiae Soc. Sc. Upsal., Ser. 4, 16/3 : 404 p. VISCHER w. (1926): Etudes d 'Algologie experimentale. - Bull. Soc. bot. Geneve 2me ser.,.

18: 24 -85. - (1933): Uber einige kritische Gattungen und die Systematik der Chaetophorales. - Beih. Bot.

Centralbl. 51 : 1 - 100.

See also plate XV. in the appendix.

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PRESLIA 40 Tab. XV.

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F. Hind a k: Fottea cylindrica gen. et. sp. nov., a New Member of the Ulotrichacean Algae